SINN FEIN PROTEST OVER LORD MAYOR DECISION

ULSTER Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers has been named as lord mayor of Belfast.

The appointment followed protests by Sinn Fein outside Belfast City Hall over its failure to gain the position after The Alliance Party, which holds the balance of power on the council, decided not to back Sinn Fein councillor Alex Maskey in his attempt to become the city's first republican lord mayor.

With a five vote margin Mr Rogers was elected to the post by 28 votes to 23 on Monday night.

Previous lord mayor Hugh Smyth, of the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party, was elected deputy lord mayor.

Sinn Fein, which is the largest party at the City Hall, had its members begin their demonstration as councillors gathered inside City Hall to elect a new first citizen.

Speaking after his election, Mr Rodgers said he would try to represent all the citizens of Belfast, irrespective of "religion, colour, class or creed".

Meanwhile, Mr Maskey branded the Alliance Party's decision not to back a Sinn Fein councillor as "disgraceful" and said that the decision flew in the face of the democratic wishes of the people in Belfast.

Earlier, Mr Rodgers said that with the current impasse over decommissioning, the time was not right for a Sinn Fein lord mayor. (MB)